Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
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Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
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economy

Fort Bliss Economic Impact, 2023

Background

Fort Bliss, established in 1848 in El Paso, is a pivotal U.S. Army installation with several major command branches housed on its campus.1 Army Forces Command focuses on deploying, fighting and achieving victory in wars by ensuring the readiness and dominance of Army forces. Army Training and Doctrine Command shapes the Army through soldier recruitment, leadership development, doctrinal guidance and organizational integration. Army Futures Command spearheads the ongoing transformation and modernization to equip future warfighters for advanced battlefield scenarios. The Army Medical Command provides essential health services and force health protection to support overall military readiness.

Units at Fort Bliss include the 1st Armored Division, which rapidly deploys for Unified Land Operations and commands Army, joint and multinational forces. Joint Task Force North aids U.S. law enforcement in intercepting criminal activities related to border security and operates under U.S. Northern Command. The 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command offers critical air and missile defense across global theaters. Joint Modernization Command conducts warfighting assessments to improve joint force interoperability and inform modernization decisions. Additionally, the NCO Leadership Center of Excellence and William Beaumont Army Medical Center provide professional military education and top-tier medical care, respectively. Fort Bliss’s extensive military assets are complemented by advanced training facilities like simulation centers and specialized ranges, enhancing both operational readiness and strategic capabilities.

Economic Impact

The Comptroller’s office and the Texas Military Preparedness Commission collected economic data from each of the state’s 14 U.S. military installations. These data were collected using a survey designed to ensure consistency in determining the total direct and indirect contribution of the base’s populations to state-level employment, gross domestic product, output and disposable personal income (Exhibits 1 and 2).2

As of 2023, Fort Bliss is home to 41,220 direct employees, of which 28,784 are active-duty military personnel. This base also has over 80,000 military retirees accessing the installation, camp facilities and resources. The Comptroller’s office estimates the population directly affiliated with Fort Bliss contributed at least $27.9 billion to the Texas economy in 2023.3

Exhibit 1
Estimated Total Contribution to the Texas Economy, Fort Bliss , 2023
Contribution Value
Total direct employment 41,220
Total employment (direct and indirect) 126,997
Output $27,948,226,000
Gross domestic product $16,347,534,000
Disposable personal income $9,575,330,000

Notes: “Total direct employment” refers to both actual full time and full time equivalent (FTE) employees. For part-time employees, their FTE is calculated based on their hours divided by the standard 40-hour work week; “total employment” refers to both direct and indirect employment, meaning “total direct employment” as noted above plus any indirect employees such as temporary contractors; “output” refers to the total value of all goods and services (both final and intermediate) produced in Texas; “gross domestic product” refers to the total value of all final goods and services produced in Texas; “disposable personal income” refers to post-income-tax income.
Source: Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI)

The Comptroller’s economic impact analysis represents a conservative estimate of the economic impact of Fort Bliss on Texas. Each installation’s distinctive characteristics contribute to the Texas economy in different ways.

Exhibit 2
Employment and Other Populations
Description Full Time Equivalent (FTE)
FULL-TIME DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Active Duty Army 27,815
Active Duty Navy 12
Active Duty Air Force 937
Active Duty Marine Corps 20
Active Duty Coast Guard 0
Active Duty National Guard/Reserve 0
FULL-TIME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
Appropriated 1,723
Non-Appropriated 338
OTHER FULL-TIME PERSONNEL
Full Time Employees Not Listed Elsewhere 7,484
PART-TIME DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Army Reserve 0
Navy Reserve 0
Air Force Reserve 0
Marine Corps Reserve 0
Coast Guard Reserve 0
PART-TIME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
Appropriated 0
Non-Appropriated 335.94
OTHER
Contractors, Total (staff) 2,555
Average Daily Student Load 7,170
TOTALS
Total Direct FTE Employment 41,219.94
Total Number of Dependents 42,051
Total Indirect FTE Employment 85,777

Source: Fort Bliss


End Notes

  1. Department of Defense Military Installations; “ Fort Bliss,” https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/fort-bliss. (Last visited April 29, 2024).
  2. Estimate inputs and assumptions include the following: (1) all data submitted are for 2023; (2) input includes full-time, permanent employees and a full-time equivalent (FTE) for any part-time employees; (3) dependents are associated with Fort Bliss only; (4) all economic impact is within Texas.
  3. This study represents an analysis of the economic impact of the population and employees directly affiliated with the base. This includes active duty, visiting, and other military personnel, dependents, civilian employees and contractors directly affiliated with the base – as reported in documents emailed from Fort Bliss to Jolene Hudson, Texas Military Preparedness Commission, March 2024.